Control of temperature and fluid distribution in contact masses



E. J. HOUDRY I Jan. 1 5, 1935.

CONTROL OF TEMPERATURE AND FLUID DISTRIBUTION IN CONTACT MASSES FiledMarch 31 INVENTOR J yoaaf y 54K. Mp

. ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 15,1935

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DISTRIBUTION IN CONTACT MASSES Eugene J.Houdry, Woodbury, N. 1., assignor to Houdry Process CorporatlomDover,Del., a corporation of Delaware Application March 31, 1933, Serial No.663,712

16 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus utilizing contact masses foreffecting chemical reactions, whether exothermic or endothermic. v Moreparticularly, it has to do with fluid distribution within and throughoutsuch masses as by the use of perforated conduits embedded in the masses'and with the control of temperature by the rapid diffusion or removalof heat by suitable conducting means, such as fins, for example,projecting from the conduits into the contact masses. In certainrespects the present invention may be considered as an improvement uponor further development of the invention disclosed in the copendingapplication of Thomas B. Prickett, Serial No. 649,531, filed December30, 1932, entitled Temperature regulation of contact masses. I r

Among the objects of the invention are to secure an even and uniformdistribution of fluid within and throughout a contact mass, to eflect auniform movement of heat into or out of a contact mass especially whenthe latter is a poor conductor of heat, to prevent an undue. or harmfulrise in temperature in the whole or in any localized portion of acontact mass such as may occur during a regeneration of the mass byoxidation, and in general to improve prior forms of apparatus in theinterest of more efiicient and satisfactory service.

In one aspect the invention involves the use of heat conducting means ofirregular projection on a fiuid conduit and extending therefrom into thecontact mass. Such means may take the form of fins, as in the aforesaidcopending application, but the fins are preferably alternately long andshort in radial extension. In the form illustrated, the short fins arediametrically opposite and in line with the long fins. In the assemblyof a catalytic case or converter having both distributing and outletconduits in uniform symmetrical arrangement with heat conducting meansor fins only on the distributing conduits, the short fins of adjacentconduits are disposed in line but out of contact with one another, andthe long fins are directed toward the adjacent outlet conduits. When theconduits are disposed in hexagonal arrangement, the preferred form offinned conduit has three short and three long fins. In another aspect,the invention involves the disposition of similarly finned conduits inthe same or similar positions relative to each other within theconverter, i. e. with their fins in substantial alignment in a number ofplanes extending across the converter, the planes corresponding to thosedefined by the fins on one conduit. This arrangement of finned membersof the present invention as well as of the aforesaid application has theeffect of dividing the entire contact mass into a multiplicity ofsmaller masses of the same size and shape with no part of any such massbeyond a predetermined distance from one of the enclosing fins orconduit walls.

In order to illustrate the invention, one concrete embodiment thereof isshown in the acl0 companying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view through a reaction case having bothdistributing and outlet conduits embedded in the contact mass, the viewbeing taken substantially on the line 11 of 15 Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view of a portion of theinterior of the reaction chamber shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view 20 through one of thefinned conduits shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 1 discloses a converter or reaction case 4, preferably of metal andcylindrical in form, surrounded by a thick layer of heat insulating 25material 5, and having. therewithin, in spaced relation to its bottom, apartition or false bottom 6 defining a chamber 7 therebelow andsupporting the contact mass M. Depending .upon the purpose of thereaction chamber, and the 3 products to be produced therein, contactmass M may be of inert absorbent material, or may possess catalyticactivity, so as to be capable of effecting the desired modification,conversion,

' or transformation of the starting material. Em- 35 bedded in the massare fluid conducting units serving to heat or to cool the mass, and, ineither case, the heat exchange fluid may or may not be brought intodirect contact with the mass. In-the present instance, the fluid, suchas the 40 starting material, .is uniformly distributed throughout thecontact mass M by a series of apertured conduits 8 embedded in the massand having connections 9 which extend out through the top of converter 4to connect with an inlet header or manifold 10. The products of thereaction are withdrawn by a series of apertured outlet conduits 11mounted in partition 6 and extending into mass M in juxtaposedparallelism with distributing conduits 8 so as to discharge the productsof the reaction into outlet chamber 7, which has a discharge connection12.

When .the desired reaction, whether exothermic or endothermic, requiresthe use of a contact massM. which has low thermal conductivity, andespecially when the contact mass must be periodically regenerated orreactivated with a large production of heat, as when contaminantsdeposited therein are removed by oxidation, it is essential that theheat be diffused through the mass or withdrawn from the mass uniformlywithin certain prescribed limits. Instead of increasing the number ofinlet and outlet conduits, adequate temperature control has been foundto be possible by the use of heat conducting members, such as fins,extending from the conduits, as disclosed in the aforesaid copendingapplication Serial No. 649,531. While an important measure of heatcontrol is attained when the fins extend in a haphazard manner, "it hasbeen found that improved results are secured by carefully mounting theconduits so that the fins are in substantial alignment throughout thereaction chamber, the number of planes so defined conforming to thenumber of fins on one of the conduits. The fins then appear in banks ofparallel planes which intersect one another. This arrangement has theeffect of dividing the contact mass into a plurality of smaller massesof substantially the same size and shape, and in which identicaloperating conditions occur.

While the heat conducting means may be applied to all of the conduits,both distributing and outlet, the preferred arrangement, as hereindisclosed, is to provide fins on the distributing conduits 8 only. Thefins so provided extend axially of the conduit through some or all ofthe length thereof, as may be found preferable or desirable, but are ofdifferent ra-, dial projection. Long fins 13. alternate with short fins14, both of which are symmetrically spaced about each distributingconduit 8, as is apparent from Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawing. Withdistributing conduits arranged in hexagonal formation about each outletconduit 11, as indicated in Fig. 2, each inlet conduit is provided withthree long fins 13, 120 apart, and with three interposed short fins 14,also 120 apart, adjacent long and short fins being accordingly 60 apart.The distributing conduits are mounted in converter 4, so that the longfins 13 extend toward the axes of adjacent outlet conduits 11, whileshort fins 14 extend toward the axes of adjacent distributing conduitsto line; up with corresponding short fins thereon. This arrangement, asclearly indicated in Fig. 2, serves to divide the contact mass M into aplurality of small masses m of identical size and shape; beingsubstantially triangular in horizontal section and being confinedbetween portions of the walls of one outlet conduit and two inletconduits, and certain long and short fins radiating from the latter.Suitable clearance is provided between the free edges of the long fins13 and the adjacent walls of outlet conduits 11, and between the freealigned edges of short fins 14 to assure even packing and distributionof the contact mass.

By the herein-shown preferred arrangement of distributing conduitshaving fins of unequal projection, it is possible to dispense with theuse of any fins on the outlet conduits. However, if fins of the sameprojection only were provided, there would not be sufiiciently completedivision of the large contact mass into small masses of equal size andshape to attain at least one very important and desirable result, namelythat no portion of the mass is more than a certain predetermineddistance (not over two inches) from a heatv conducting element, be itone of the conduits or one of the fins.

While the present invention is capable of general application to allchemical reactions involving the use of contact masses, details ofapparatus for one specific operation are given below, this operationbeing the conversion of heavy hydrocarbon starting material into lighthydrocarbon products. By preference, the contact mass for this reactionconsists of molded fragments composed largely or wholly of activatedsilicate of alumina having very poor thermal conductivity, but arrangedfor regeneration in situ. During transformation, the entire mass ismaintained at any desired operating temperature between 775 and 925 F.,and, during regeneration of the mass by oxidation through the use offresh air diluted, as required, with inert material such as flue gas orsteam, the reaction temperature is preferably held throughout the massin a 50 range, with a. top tem perature not exceeding 1100* F. Theapparatus conforms to that illustrated in the drawing, the outletconduits being 3-inch standard steel tubes and the distributing conduits2 -inch standard steel pipes. The conduits are disposed in the hexagonalarrangement illustrated in Fig. 2, with a -inch distance between allconduit centers. The projection for the long fins is 1 13/16 inches, andfor the short fins 1 1/16 inches. With the fins disposed in alignment,no part of the contact mass is more than 1 inches away from a heatconducting wall, which distance has been found to be quite adequate andsatisfactory from an economical as well as from an operating standpoint.With such apparatus, a very high degree of uniformity of control of alloperating conditions is attained. This permits conversion at the optimumtemperature for any starting material as well as the complete freeing ofall portions of the contact mass of contaminating deposits duringregeneration, so that a maximum yield of product may be attained.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination with a contact mass for effecting an exothermic or anendothermic reaction of a series of fiuid conduits embedded in said massin uniform distribution and in parallel arrangement, certain of saidconduits having heat conducting means radiating therefrom into saidmass, said means being of differing projection and arranged to cooperatewith each other and with said conduits so as to divide the entirecontact mass into a plurality of smaller masses of uniform size andshape.

2. The combination with a contact mass for effecting chemicaltransformations of fiuid conduits embedded therein in uniformdistribution and in parallel arrangement, certain of said conduitshaving fins extending therefrom into said mass, said fins beinguniformly disposed and arranged in cooperation with each other and withthe conduits to divide the contact mass into substantially equal parts,thereby to facilitate uniform temperature control of the entire mass.

3. In combination, a case containing a con tact mass, a series of fluiddistributing conduits embedded in said mass, a series of outlet conduitsalso embedded in said mass, and heat conducting members of differingprojection extending from the conduits of one of said series anddividing the entire mass into interconnected masses of substantiallyuniform size and shape enclosed by said members and said conduits ofboth said series.

4. In combination, a case containing a contact mass, a series of fluiddistributing conduits embedded in said mass, a series of outlet conduitsalso embedded in said mass, and heat conducting members of differingprojection extending radi-' ally from the conduits of the distributingseries to divide the entire mass into interconnecting masses ofsubstantially uniform size and shape enclosed by said members and saidconduits of both series.

5. In combination, a case containing a contact mass, a series of fluiddistributing conduits embedded in said mass, a series of outlet conduitsalso embedded in said mass, and long and short heat conducting membersextending radially from the conduits of the distributing series, all 01'said long members extending toward immediately adjacent conduits of saidoutlet series.

6. In combination, a case containing a contact mass, a series of fluiddistributing conduits embedded in said mass, a series of outlet conduitsalso embedded in said mass, and long and short heat conducting membersextending radially from the conduits of the distributing series, all ofsaid short members extending toward immediately adjacent conduits ofsaid distributing series.

7. In combination, a case containing a contact mass, a series of fluiddistributing conduits embedded in said mass, a series of outlet conduitsalso embedded in said mass, and long and short heat conducting membersextending radially from the conduits of the distributing series, saidshort members extending toward adjacent conduits of said distributingseries and being disposed in spaced alignment with similar short memberson the latter.

8. In combination, a case containing a contact mass, 9. series of fluiddistributing conduits embedded in said mass, a series of outlet conduitsalso embedded in said mass, and long and short heat conducting membersextending radially from the conduits of the distributing series, saidlong members extending toward adjacent conduits of said outlet series,and said short members extending toward and aligned with similar shortmembers on adjacent conduits of said distributing series.

9. In combination, a container for a contact mass, series of fluidconduits extending into said mass in symmetrical arrangement, and heatconducting means on certain of said conduits extending therefrom intosaid mass and so arranged in cooperation with their own and adja centconduits to divide the mass into a plurality of smaller masses ofsubstantially the same size and shape.

10. In combination, a container for a contact mass, a series ofdistributing conduits embedded in said mass, a series of outlet conduitsembedded in said mass in symmetrical arrangement with each other andwith said distributing conduits, heat conducting means on the conduitsof one of said series extending therefrom into said mass andsymmetrically disposed and arranged to divide the mass into a pluralityof smaller masses of equal size and shape and generally triangular incross section, each of said smaller masses being confined betweenportions of a conduit of one series and two conduits of the otherseries.

11. In combination, a container for a contact mass, series of fluidconduits extending into said mass in symmetrical arrangement, and heatconducting means in the form of fins radiating symmetrically fromcertain of said conduits, said finned conduits being so arranged thatthe fins thereon are disposed in parallel intersecting planes thereby todivide the contact mass into a plurality of masses of the same size andshape.

12. In combination, a container for a contact mass, a series ofdistributing conduits embedded in said mass, a series of outlet conduitsembedded in said mass in symmetrical arrangement with each other andwith said distributing conduits, heat conducting means in the form offins radiating from said distributing conduits and extendinglongitudinally of the latter, said distributing conduits being arrangedto dispose said flns in line with each other in parallel intersectingplanes extending across said container thereby to divide the contactmass into a plurality of smaller masses of the same size and shape, eachof said smaller masses being generally triangular in cross section andconfined between portions of one outlet conduit and of two distributingconduits and the fins thereof.

13. In a reaction chamber containing a contact mass of poor thermalconductivity, heat conducting means embedded in said mass and adaptedfor distributing fluid therethrough and for withdrawing fluid therefrom,said means comprising perforated conduits and projecting members or finsextending from certain of said conduits, said means being so distributedthrough said mass that no part of the latter is more than two inchesaway from said means.

14. In combination, a container for a contact mass, apertured conduitsextending into said container and embedded in said contact mass,saidconduits having heat conducting members radiating therefrom, saidconduits and said members thereon being symmetrically disposed relativeto each other so as to divide said contact mass into a plurality ofmasses of substantially the same size and shape with no part of any ofsaid last named masses more than two inches from said conduits and/orsaid members thereon.

15. In combination, a container for a contact' mass, apertured conduitsextending into said container and embedded in said contact mass, saidconduits having heat conducting fins radiating therefrom, said conduitsand said flns being so disposed in said mass that every part of thelatter is within at least one and a half inches of a heat conductingsurface of said conduits or fins.

16. A conduit adapted to be embedded in a contact mass for the purposeof distributing fluid therein or for removing fluid therefrom, saidconduit having apertures at intervals along its length, two series oflongitudinally extending heat conducting flns uniformly spaced aboutsaid conduit and extending radially therefrom, the fins of one seriesbeing of greater projection than the fins of the other series, the finsof both series being arranged to alternate with a short findiametrically opposite and coplanar with a long fin.

EUGENE J. HOUDRY.

